Vehicle wheel



H. J. HORN VEHICLE WHEEL April 14, 1936.

Filed Aug. 23, 1935 INVENTOR. H488) J HOE/V ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WheelCorporation,-Lansing, Mich., a corporation of Michigan ApplicationAugust 23, 1935, Serial No. 37,561

9 Claims. (Cl. 301-108) This invention relates to vehicle wheels and hasto do with a novel means for attaching a hub cap to a wheel of the typewherein a wheel body is secured to a hub by a plurality of stud boltassemblies. In its preferred form the invention comprises a wire havinga base portion bent for cooperative engagement with the outer portion ofone of the stud bolt assemblies and resilient end portions adapted fordetachable engagement with a hubcap. In another form the inventioncomprises a wire bent to engage two adjacent stud bolt assemblies andhaving extensions adjacent each of the stud lbolts .adaptedforidetachable engagement with a hub cap. i Both of the above mentionedforms of the invention' are illustrated in the accompanying drawing,wherein:

Figure 1 is a partial sectional view of a wheel having a hub cap securedthereto, taken on substantiallythe line of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a partial front view in elevation of the wheel shown inFigure 1 with the hub cap removed; I

Figure 3 is a side view of a nut and cup washer such as shown in Figures1 and 2 having a hub cap attaching clip attached thereto and showing indotted lines the manner in which a hub cap is secured to the attachingclip; and

Figure 4 is a front view of the hub cap attaching clip shown in Figure3. I

- The wheel shown in Figures 1 and 2 includes a hub l0, having a hubflange II, a wheel 'body l2 having-a peripheral rim seat l3, and a rimI4 of the type conventionally used' on trucks. The 35 wheel body I2 isof the perforated disk type be ing provided with a plurality of openingsl5. It.

is attached to the hub flange lHn a. conventional manner by means of aplurality of stud bolt assemblies IS. The rim I4 is attached to rim seat40 I3 in a conventional manner as by rivets l'l. The stud boltassemblies consist of a stud bolt I8 secured in openings in hub flangeII, a nut l9 and a cup washer 20. The outer extremity of the stud boltis threaded to receive the nut. The nut 45 and cup washer are preferablyswivelly connected to form a'nut and cup washer assembly. The cup washerhas a flaring skirt and forms with the nut at the corners thereof aplurality. of retaining notches. I

50 These retaining notches are made use of according to the presentinvention in detachably connecting a hub cap attaching clip to the studbolt assemblies.

a wire attaching clip 2| is. provided having base portions 22 formed toengage the retention As shown in Figures 1 -and 2 RElSSUtii stud boltassemblies as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The clips are held in position on these assemblies solely by means ofthe resilient engagement of the assemblies by the clips. Preferably twoclips 2| are used as shown. There are thus provided four extensions 23to engage a hub cap.

As clearly shown in Figure 1, a hub cap 25 having an 'inturnedperipheral engaging p0rtion 26 is detachably connected to the wheel bythe interlocking engagement between extensions 23 of clips 2| andperipheral portion 26 of cap 25.

Cap 25 is installed by pressing the same axially toward the hump 24 onextensions 23 of clips 2|.

Extensions 23 are sufliciently flexible to yield under the axialpressure of cap 25 and to permit edge portion 26 of the cap to pass overhumps 24 on extensions 23. The hump of course springs back to theposition shown in Figure 1 after edge 26 has passed over it thus firmlybut detachably locking the hub cap in position. The cap 25 may beremoved by forcing the edge 28 back over humps 24 with any suitablemeans.

Cir

A modified form of, attaching clip is shown in Figures 3 and 4. As thereshown the clip 21 is made of wire, has a base portion 28 and resilientextensions 29. In this form, however, the clip is adapted to-be securedto but a single stud bolt assembly- As in the case of clip 2|, clip 21is made of resilient wire and the base portion-28 is adapted to bepressed or sprung into interlocking engagement between the nut and cupwasher forming a part of the stud bolt assembly. The extensions 29 areprovided with humps 3B which are deflected to permit the edge portionofa hub cap to pass over them as shown in Figure 3. Where the nut andcup washer are swivelly connected to each other the clip 27 maybe'removed and installed with the nut and cup washer. Three or -,moreclips 21 are required to satisfactorily attach a hub cap to a wheel.

One of the principal advantages of clips 2| and 21 is the ease withwhich they may be installed and removed. By making them of wire thewafer manufacture is very low. In the case of clip 21, it may be usedwith an size wheel without change. Thus, it is a universal form offastening clip.

While only the preferred embodiments of the invention have been shownand described, it should be understood that various other embodimentsmay be employed within the scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a wheel including a wheel body secured to a hub by stud boltassemblies, a. hub cap for the wheel and means for attaching the hub capto the wheel comprising resilient attaching clips detachably connectedto the stud bolt assemblies and presenting an engaging portion forcooperative engagement with the hub cap.

2. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a stud bolt assemblyutilized in attaching a wheel body to a hub of a hub cap attaching clip,said clip being of a configuration to be pressed into resilientengagement with said stud bolt assembly and to present a resilientengaging portion adapted for detachable engagement with a hub cap.

.3. In a stud bolt assembly of a wire hub cap attaching clip, said clipbeing of a configuration to be pressed into resilient engagement withthe stud vehicle wheel, the combination with a stud bolt assemblyincluding a nut and cup washer secured to a stud of a wire hub ,capattaching clip having a base portion adapted to be pressed intoresilient engagement with the stud bolt assembly' between the nut andcup washer and having resilient extensions adapted for detachableengagement with a hub cap.

6. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a stud bolt assembly and ahub cap of means for detachably connecting the two together comprising aresilient clip having portions adapted to be pressed into interlockingengagement with corresponding portions ofthe stud bolt assembly and hubcap respectively.

7. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a nut and cup washerassembly of a wire hub cap attaching clip having a base portion adaptedto be pressed into interlocking engagement with said assembly betweenportions of the nut and washer andhaving resilient extensions adaptedfor detachable engagement with a hub cap.

8. In a vehicle wheel, including a plurality of stud bolt assembliesutilized for. attaching a wheel body to a hub, the combination with apair of said assemblies of an attaching clip having a base portionadapted for resilient engagement with said pair of stud bolt assembliesand having resilient extensions adapted for detachable engagement with ahub cap.

9. In a vehicle wheel including a wheel body secured to a'hub by aplurality of stud bolt assemblies, means for attaching a hub cap to thewheel body to conceal the stud bolts comprising resilient attachingclips detachably connected to some of said stud bolt assemblies, saidattaching clips having resilient extensions radially out- 'wardly of thestud ,bolt assemblies adapted for detachable engagement with a hub cap.

' HARRY J, HORN.

